Extra Virgin Olive Oil Premium – laboratory analysis


Independent laboratory analysis

ArcticMed Extra Virgin Olive Oil Premium — complete analysis summary

Batch 26030A  ·  Andalusia, Spain  ·  Early harvest  ·  Cold-pressed  ·  Single estate  ·  Hojiblanca

ENAC-accredited (ISO 17025) Recognized by International Olive Oil Council Panel-tested Virgin Extra
EU-approved health claims

Biophenols — EFSA-approved

"Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress."
Requires at least 5 mg hydroxytyrosol + derivatives per 20 g oil  ·  ArcticMed: 412 mg/kg total biophenols  ·  Exceeds the requirement by a large margin  ·  Daily dose 20 g provides about 8 mg EFSA-relevant biophenols

Vitamin E — EFSA-approved

"Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress."
EU reference value (NRV): 12 mg/day  ·  ArcticMed: 35.5 mg vitamin E per 100g  ·  α-tocopherol dominates: 355 mg/kg  ·  Two tablespoons cover more than double the daily requirement

Health claims are approved by the EU food authority EFSA and regulated by Regulation (EC) No 432/2012. They apply to extra virgin olive oil with confirmed biophenol content — not to refined oils. ArcticMed’s analyzed values meet the requirements well, documented per batch.

Basic quality parameters — compared to market average and EU limit

Acidity (FFA)

Olive freshness · lower = better

0,13%
0,13%
ArcticMed
~0.40%
Market average
0,80%
EU limit EVOO
6× below EU limit · 3× lower than average

Confirms early harvest, healthy olives, and pressing within hours. High value reveals damaged fruit — and cannot be hidden.

Peroxide value

Oxidation / rancidity · lower = better

3,6 meq/kg
3,6
ArcticMed
~10
Market average
20
EU limit EVOO
82% below EU limit · 3× lower than average

Below 5 is internationally recognized as exceptional freshness. Measures how "old" the oil is chemically.

K270 — authenticity test

Refining / dilution · lower = better

0,11
0,11
ArcticMed
—
No verified average
0,22
EU limit EVOO
Exactly half of the EU limit

Confirms genuine cold-pressed oil — without manipulation, refining, or dilution with cheaper oils.

Panel-tested Virgin Extra — fruitiness 5.5, zero defects

Sensory evaluation by trained taste panel according to IOC standard. Classification: Virgin Extra — the highest grade. Fruitiness median 5.5, bitterness 3.6, pungency 3.8 — characteristic signs of high biophenol content. Defect median: 0.0. Organoleptic quality cannot be faked.

Biophenols — the active health component

What is the difference between polyphenols and biophenols?

Polyphenols are a broad chemical category with thousands of different compounds found in plants — most pass through the body without measurable biological effect. Biofenols are the specific phenolic compounds in olive oil that are actually absorbed by the body and exert documented health effects. It is biofenols that EFSA’s health claim is based on — not polyphenols in general.

Hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives are the core of the EFSA claim. Hydroxytyrosol is one of nature’s most potent antioxidants, but in olive oil it mostly occurs bound in complex molecules — so-called secoiridoids — such as oleacein, oleuropein, and oleocanthal. These break down into free hydroxytyrosol in the body. Therefore, EFSA specifically states "hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives" — making the total biofenol content of 412 mg/kg the relevant measure, not just the 1.2 mg/kg of free hydroxytyrosol.

Total biofenols
412 mg/kg
IOC-recognized laboratory · High premium value — average EVOO on the market is 100–250 mg/kg
Oleacein
101,1 mg/kg
Strong anti-inflammatory secoiridoid · Research links oleacein to cardiovascular protection
Oleocanthal
52,2 mg/kg
Natural ibuprofen-like substance · Inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 · Gives characteristic peppery sensation in the throat
Hydroxytyrosol
1,2 mg/kg
One of nature’s strongest antioxidants · Key substance in the EFSA claim — in the body, additional hydroxytyrosol is released from oleacein and oleuropein

The biofenol content drops sharply during refining, high processing temperatures, or storage in plastic containers. ArcticMed’s olive oil is stored in dark glass and delivered with confirmed biofenol content per batch. The Hojiblanca variety is known for its naturally high biofenol content — one of the reasons this variety produces olive oil with distinct bitterness, pepperiness, and documented health effects.

Oxidation stability — The Rancimat method explained

Rancimat stability at 100°C

Accelerated oxidation test · Industry standard for shelf life prediction
67,7 hours
15–25 h
Average EVOO
40–50 h
High premium class
67,7 h
ArcticMed
What is the Rancimat test?

The Rancimat method measures how long an oil resists oxidation under controlled conditions. The oil is exposed to high temperature (100°C) and forced airflow — an accelerated simulation of what happens during storage and use. When the oil begins to rancidify, the instrument records exactly when this breaking point is reached.

The result — the induction period in hours — is a direct measure of the oil's antioxidant capacity and natural stability. ArcticMed's 67.7 hours is almost three times the industry average, explained by the combination of high bio-phenol content (412 mg/kg) and natural vitamin E level (369 mg/kg).

Naturally rich in squalene — protects skin and cells

Extra virgin olive oil is one of nature's richest sources of squalene, a natural triterpene that constitutes a significant part of the oil's unsaponifiable fraction. ArcticMed's olive oil shows an unsaponifiable fraction of 12.5 g/kg — a value indicating a naturally rich squalene content. Squalene is part of the skin's natural sebum film, and research shows it may help protect cells against UV-induced oxidative stress.

Vitamin E — tocopherol composition
α-tocopherol

355 mg/kg
γ-tocopherol

8 mg/kg
β-tocopherol

6 mg/kg
Total

369 mg/kg

35.5 mg vitamin E per 100g — more than double the EU daily reference value (NRV 12 mg). α-tocopherol dominates strongly (96%), characteristic of genuine unrefined extra virgin olive oil.

Pesticide analysis — 300+ substances, zero detectable traces

Clean result in one of the olive oil industry's most comprehensive pesticide tests

The analysis covers over 300 substances via GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS. No substance in any group exceeds the quantification limit. Batch 26030A is free from detectable residues of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and environmental toxins.

GC-MS/MS  · fat-soluble pesticides, organochlorines, pyrethroids
LC-MS/MS  · water-soluble pesticides, neonicotinoids, carbamates
LOQ  · 0.010 mg/kg per substance
Organochlorines (POPs)✓ No traces
Persistent environmental toxins banned in the EU but remaining in soil from decades of use.
Tested: DDT, DDE, DDD, Dieldrin, Aldrin, Endosulfan α/β, Hexachlorobenzene, Lindane · All <0.010 mg/kg
Organophosphate pesticides✓ No traces
Neurotoxins against insects. Chlorpyrifos is one of the most common residues in European olive oil during official controls.
Tested: Chlorpyrifos, Dimethoate, Malathion, Fenthion, Partion, Pirimiphos-methyl · All <0.010 mg/kg
Pyrethroids✓ No traces
Synthetic insecticides against the olive fruit fly. High toxicity to aquatic organisms and bees.
Tested: Cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, Lambda-cyhalothrin, Bifenthrin, Permethrin · All <0.010 mg/kg
Neonicotinoids✓ No traces
Systemic insecticides linked to bee population decline. Banned outdoors in the EU since 2018 — still illegally used in parts of the Mediterranean region.
Tested: Imidacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Clothianidin, Acetamiprid, Thiacloprid · All <0.010 mg/kg
Fungicides✓ No traces
Against fungal diseases in olive cultivation. Triazole fungicides are among the most common pesticide residues in European olive oil.
Tested: Tebuconazole, Difenoconazole, Boscalid, Azoxystrobin, Cyprodinil · All <0.010 mg/kg
Herbicides✓ No traces
Herbicides in olive groves. Residues can remain on olives if applied close to harvest.
Tested: Pendimethalin, Oxyfluorfen, Diuron, Linuron, Fluazifop-P-butyl · All <0.010 mg/kg
Carbamates
Neurotoxins against insects and mites · carbofuran, aldicarb
✓ No traces in any substance
PAHs
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons · Benzo(a)pyrene is carcinogenic
✓ All 4 PAHs below LOQ
Halogenated solvents
Indicator of extraction residues · found in refined oils
✓ <0.01 mg/kg — not detectable
About the limit of quantification (LOQ): All results <0.010 mg/kg — no measurable amount of any tested substance was detected. The analysis was performed by an ENAC-accredited laboratory (ISO 17025) recognized by the International Olive Oil Council, using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS.

PAHs — polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Benzo(a)pyrene<0.50 µg/kg✓
Benzo(a)anthracene<1.00 µg/kg✓
Benzo(b)fluoranthene<0.50 µg/kg✓
Chrysene<1.00 µg/kg✓

Authenticity and purity

Ethyl esters<4 mg/kg✓
ECN42 deviation0,05%✓
3,5-Stigmastadienes<0.01 mg/kg✓
Halogenated solvents<0.01 mg/kg✓
Laboratory and accreditation
ENAC-accredited (ISO 17025)
Recognized by International Olive Oil Council
Approved by Spanish agricultural authority
Digitally signed by laboratory manager
OriginAndalusia, Spain
Olive varietyHojiblanca
ProductionSingle estate · Early harvest · Cold-pressed
Batch26030A
Analysis period19–25 November 2025
ProductArcticMed Extra Virgin Olive Oil Premium
The analysis results apply to the specific batch sent to the laboratory. Arctic Health AB is responsible for sampling and product information. EU health claims comply with Regulation (EC) No 432/2012 and apply when consuming 20 g of oil per day. The results may be reproduced only with the written permission of the analyzing laboratory.
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